DBHKer's photostream  

I love tracing the history of British settlement in Asia and Australia. In particular, I enjoy travelling and photographing the architecture 'left behind' by the Brits. What fascinates me is the sense of displacement on seeing a building which seems to have been plucked from Manchester or Leeds and is found in Rangoon, Melbourne or Shanghai - with at times, some local adaptations.

There is no single 'British colonial architecture' style; rather it is a mixture of many styles both ancient, imperial and local. Often beautiful, always evocative, occasionally moving and rich in history, these stones, mortar and bricks are part of the heritage of the host country and deserve the recent interest in their preservation.

I have tried, where possible, to give a short history of each building and to identify its architect. To recapture a sense of its original state, I have used original street names and tried to give details of the original purpose of each structure.

If you enjoy the photos, the history or just want a 'chat', please send me your comments.

Recent trips:
2009: Brisbane, Bombay, Simla, Delhi.
2010: Penang, Singapore, Brisbane & Tientsin (Tianjin)
2011: Penang, Taiping, Ipoh, Batu Gajah, Kuala Lipis, Malacca, Kuching, Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle (NSW)

Plans for 2012: Singapore, Penang, Shanghai, Hankow, Brisbane